Sagehen Mesa - Season 4, Episode 14: Scrounging for Simoleons for the Whiting Elders - Leona

 Hi all, Leona speaking.

We just got home from Tony's lovely wedding. It was so romantic that Bryon and I danced to the radio into the wee hours of the night.

In a matter of days we will officially be empty-nesters. Both our boys have moved out to their own places: Tony to his new home with his new bride, . . . 

. . . and Nick to the house by the fishing pond, which he's renting from the Culpeppers. He wondered if the place was haunted, what with it being the former site of a criminal organization. Who knows what kind of dastardly goings-on went on in that place.

Nick's got a female roommate named Lelani or something like that. I don't know if they're romantic or not, Nick's awfully closed-mouthed about it. But I do miss seeing my boys in my kitchen getting ready for work in the morning. 

I guess all kids grow up at leave at some point. Lara is still living with us, . . . 

. . . but she will be graduating high school very soon and will be a young adult tomorrow! I expect she'll be moving out soon as well. 

I remember her sitting with all her friends in church not that long ago. That Barclay boy, the one who ran off to France without telling his parents, was trying to put the moves on the preacher's daughter! Of all the nerve! 

Lara announced that there was nothing but a loaf of bread and a half a box of cereal in the house. We spent nearly everything we had on Tony's wedding and to help furnish his new house! Poor Lara will need a scholarship if she wants to go to college. 

I told Bryon we needed to hit the ground a runnin' if we are going to make ends meet and do right by Lara. Bryon said he planned on playing for tips today and taking Eclipse to collect some stud fees. This is what I get for marrying a dreamer. He's never made much at all as a busker, and I know for a fact that Eclipse is too old to stud. It looks like most of the money-making will be up to me. I'd best get dressed and try opening the store early. 

Business was kind of slow at the Art Barn today. I has a few looky-loos and an out-of-town buyer who wanted a 7500 simoleon art piece, but then told me he didn't have the money yet. He just wanted me to save the piece back for him. Sorry Charlie. If it's here when you have the funds, you can have it, but I ain't holding it for you. 

I managed to fill a few orders for glass items when things were really slow, and was able to collect my commissions for them, so that will help a little. 

When afternoon came around, I checked in with Tony, to see how things were going. He said they are preparing to leave for their honeymoon, but would call when they were back in town. He also mentioned that Sondra got into it with Teri, the girl who made his wedding cake, when Teri went to deliver the cake.

I guess the cake wasn't chocolate, like she ordered. She had a bit of a bridezilla moment. The cake was lovely though. 

I saw some evidence that she wasn't entirely happy; she gave Tony the stink-eye as she approached their table.  

However, after trying the cake, she had to admit it was really good, and she forgave Tony for not getting chocolate. 

Tony was elated! No one wants an unhappy bride on their wedding day. 

After speaking to Tony, I called Bryon to see how he was doing with his money making schemes.

"Well, I guess you were right. Eclipse is too old to stud. They said he was too "long-in-the-tooth!" Did  you know old horses actually get really long teeth as they age? Sometimes people need to call an equine dentist to come and file them down! I had no idea!"

"What about tips?" Did you earn any?" I asked. 

"Well, there's only one fella here in the park. He dropped in a fiver, but I think he's tapped out now. I was thinking of trying my luck down at The Pit Stop."

"Now don't you get to gabbin' and dancin'," I warned him. "You know how you get."

"Yer just a good-hearted woman in love with a good-time man, sweetheart," he teased. "I'll do my best to stay focused," he promised. 

On my next break, I called Nick. He said he saw his dad down at the bar, and even played a few sets with him, but there really weren't many people there despite it being the town "hot spot." He said his dad gave up and started shootin' the breeze with Cheryl, the bartender and flirtin' with the ladies. 

By the time Nick left, Bryon was dancin' with Ms. Josie. 

By the time I got ahold of Bryon again, he was down at the festival dancing with old Merle Sarwyck. I really need to get to know Merle's wife. I think we'd have a lot in common. Me with a store to mind, her with a huge garden to tend, and our men out dancin'. "While your there," I scolded, "the least you could do is get some produce and honey from the community garden. The fridge is empty, remember?"

"I'll grab some honey for my honey," he promised. 

He came back with not only fresh veggies and honey, but a small bouquet of cosmos and azaleas. 

 

I guess I'll keep him.